PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL WORK - University of Houston

PERSPECTIVES ON

SOCIAL WORK

The Journal of the Doctoral Students of the University of Houston

Spring/Summer 2016

VOLUME 12 ISSUE #1

Perspectives on Social Work

Editor

Maurya W. Glaude, MSW, LCSW

Editorial Board

Tamara Al-Rawwad

Christine Bakos-Block

Xin Chen

Yu ¡°Jessica¡± Miao

Post-Doctoral Consultants

Roberta Leal, Ph.D.

Micki Washburn, Ph.D.

External Reviewers

Kathryn Arnett

University of Pennsylvania

Jacqueline Burse

University of Texas, Arlington

Haipang Chen

Indiana University

Annie M. Francis

UNC, Chapel Hill

Michelle Gricus

University of St. Thomas

Cole Hooley

Washington University, St. Louis

Stephanie Howard

Howard University

Jamie Hatzis

Adelphi University

Lin Helen Jiang

University of Denver

Andrea Joseph

University of Pittsburgh

Elizabeth Kiehne

Arizona State University

Youn Kyoung Kim

University of Texas, Arlington

Sandra Leotti

Portland State University

Angela Lieber

Florida State University

Theresa Moran

Fordham University

Helen Nichols

University of Maryland

Lauren McInroy

University of Toronto

Scott D. Sainto

University of Texas, Arlington

Tina Simms

University of Minnesota

Kristin Smyth

University of South Florida

Rusty Souleymanov

University of Toronto

Abigail Williams

University of Michigan

Katherine Williams

Loyola University, Chicago

Faculty Sponsor

Sheara Williams Jennings, Ph.D.

Graduate Assistant

Natalie Wilson

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Table of Contents

Guest Editorial - Social Justice in Social Work Practice and Education

Susan P. Robbins

5

Paradigms Found in Reunification Research

Matthew A. Walsh, Indiana University School of Social Work

7

Fostering Research and Diversity Competencies for Students and Scholars:

The Case of an Interdisciplinary Research Seminar

Elizabeth G. Holman, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Megan S. Paceley, University of Kansas

15

Theoretical Models of Adult Suicide Behavior Based on Psychodynamic and

Cognitive Theory

Heather Peterson, University of Texas, Arlington

25

Intersectional Social Work Perspectives on the Systemic Killing of Black Men

De¡¯Shay Thomas, Arizona State University

36

Husain Lateef, Arizona University

Travis W. Cronin, Arizona University

Developing an Exercise Routine among People with Serious Mental Illness in the

Clubhouse Structured Exercise Program

Ingyu Moon, Simmons College

The CV Builder

43

61

Guidelines for Submissions

63

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Guest Editorial-Social Justice in Social Work Practice and Education

Since the beginning of the Progressive Era in the 20th century and the origins of the Settlement House

Movement, social justice has been an ideal, a core value, and guiding principle for social work practice. In

contrast to the morally uplifting advice that was the mainstay of the earlier Charity Organization Society,

social workers during this era were actively involved in advocacy for progressive social reforms and social

policy initiatives aimed at improving the living and working conditions of women, children, and newly arrived

immigrant poor (Reisch, 2002; Robbins, in press). However, the profession¡¯s commitment to social justice and

progressive social work that embodies those ideals has been inconsistent over the course of our history. As

Reisch and Andrews (2001) have noted, our profession, both historically and currently, has promoted practices

that essentially reinforce the status quo rather than promoting social justice. This tension between social

control and social reform has been an ongoing issue in both practice and education.

And, despite its centrality for social work, the concept of social justice can be seen from a variety of

perspectives and have multiple definitions, some of which run counter to the values of our profession (Austin,

Branom & King, 2014). A general definition that is consistent with social work values holds that social justice

is ¡°an abstract and strongly held social work ideal that all people should have equal rights to the resources of a

society and should expect and receive fair and equal treatment¡± (Heinonen & Spearman, 2001, p. 352).

More explicitly and fully defined in the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics (2008)

as one of our professions six ethical principles, the mandate that social workers ¡°challenge social injustice¡±

includes the following:

Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and

oppressed individuals and groups of people. Social workers¡¯ social change efforts are focused

primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social

injustice. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and

cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information,

services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision

making for all people (para 15).

In contrast, the Council on Social Work Education (2015), the organization responsible for overseeing

accreditation of social work programs in the United States, has expanded this to also include ¡°advancing

human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice¡± as one of the nine core competencies for social

work education. This includes an understanding of ¡°the global interconnections of oppression and human

rights violations¡± and knowledge about ¡°theories of human need and social justice and strategies to promote

social and economic justice and human rights (p.7). Given these varying definitions combined with extant

research that has also found inconsistent definitions used by students, academics, field advisors, and social

workers in practice, Morgaine (2014) suggested that ¡°For social work to continue to utilize the language of

social justice, it is imperative¡­¡± that we ¡°¡­engage with and extend these dialogues¡± (p. 6).

Several developments in the 21st century have brought social justice ideals to the forefront of both

practice and education. These include the Just Practice Framework proposed by Finn and Jacobson (2003;

2008); alternative research models that support social justice practice; a growing interest in political social

work, anti-oppressive practice, and structural social work practice; and an expansion of our theory base to

include a broad variety of critical theory and the strengths perspective (Finn & Jacobson, 2003; Robbins in

press). These are all important and timely advances that help bring us back to the roots of our profession.

Susan P. Robbins, Ph.D., LCSW

Professor, University of Houston

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Social Work Education

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